Jena 6, Jena Louisiana
The very hot topic today is the rally held in Jena, Louisiana to protest the charges against the Jena 6. Demonstrators filled the streets of this small town in Louisiana to protest what they view as racial disparities in the justice system stemming from an incident in which a white teen was beaten by six african-american students. An argument over a tree resulted in three white students hanging three nooses from the tree, however these students were not prosecuted. An altercation later insued in which one of the white students was beaten and the six black students involved were initially charged with attempted murder, however the “victim” was knocked unconscious but was well enough to attend a school function later that evening.
District Attorney Reed Walters, the prosecutor in the case, claims that race has nothing to do with the charges. He states that the white students were not prosecuted because he could not find a law under which they could be charged for allegedly hanging the nooses.
Today’s rally has been strongly promoted on websites and blogs and has drawn thousands to the small town, including high profile people such as Rev. Al Sharpton. The protest was planned to coinside with the sentencing of Mychal Bell, the only juvenile to be charged as an adult. Protestors decided to move forward with the protest despite the conviction being thrown out. Bell is still jailed pending an appeal by the prosecution. Read more about the Jena 6 rally and story at MSNBC.
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